ast expensive weakness to pander to.
But I certainly believe most hereditary weakness comes from legend or
from imitation. It's idiotic nonsense. When you're a kiddie you hear all
sorts of family talk about family characteristics; it becomes a sort of
legend and you live up to it unconsciously. You see your parents doing
things, and because you're with your parents a great deal just at the
time when you're soft, like a jelly just poured into a mould, you get
like your parents. And then it's too late--too late to alter, I mean,
unless you take a fork and beat the jelly up again, or warm it on the
fire and make it melt. I've read a lot about this, and I believe it's at
the bottom of half the morbid stuff people write and talk about
hereditary drunkards and criminals...."

"But statistics," began Louis.

"The worst of statistics is that people only quote the statistics that
will prove their argument. They don't quote those for the other side. If
drunkards' children become drunkards it's probably because their lives
are so desperately miserable that they take the most obvious way of
drowning the misery. Anyway, Louis--"

"Lord, you are getting dictatorial, Marcella," he said.

"Yes. I know. I mean to be, on this subject. I'll tell you this much, my
dear. If you tell this child of ours that you're a drunkard, I'll shake
the life out of you and then run away with him where he'll never see you
again. And if he sees you drunk--! But he won't. Anyway, you won't be
any more. And now, seriously, after all that speech, let's go to sleep."

It was his turn to lie awake for hours this time, thinking and listening
to her quiet breathing.

CHAPTER XXII

They started awake at dawn to the discordant laughter of a jackass in
the gum tree above their heads. After a moment's struggle to locate
herself Marcella sprang up and, running over the little plot of grass
that fringed the creek, had another joyous swim. The morning was very
still--uncannily still, and already hot. When they started out along
the bank of the creek about six o'clock they felt the oppression almost
unendurable, but in the motionless air the five trees that marked Loose
End were very distinct, though rather like toy trees in a child's model
garden.

The depression of the night had gone; neither of them mentioned it; they
talked of trivialities until they halted for lunch and drank a billy
full of lukewarm tea.

Louis had built a tent by spreading two o